Circuit connecter



Jul 24, 1928. v

H. A. DOUGLAS CIRCUIT CONNECTER Filed Nov.l'7, 1927 jomzorf Patented July 24, 1928.

1,678,138 UNITED STATESPATENT OFFICE.

HARRY A. DOUGLAS, OF BRONSON, MICHIGAN.

amour-r oounnc'rnn Application filed lq'ovember 17, 1927. Serial No. 233,875.

My inve tion relates to circuit connectors of the type mploying a shell which 18 formved at its front end for the reception of a contact carrying plug and which-encloses contacting mechanism whereby the plug and the translating device in connection with the plug may be included in circult. Such translating device may, for example, be an incandescent lamp carried by the plug.

My invention relates, in particular, to the contacting. mechanism in the shell and the association thereof with the shell. In accordance with one feature of my invention, such contacting mechanism includes a tubular contact member which extends from the interior of the shell to the exterior of the shell, this member being provided with a lateral plug receiving opening in the part thereof that is upon the exterior of the shell for receiving a connecting plug which is engageable with a plunger contact that projects from the bore of the tubular contact member into said plug receiving opening whereby the rear end of said plunger con-. tact is engageable bysuch plug, there being a spring within the bore of said tubular contact member which presses rearwardly upon the plunger contact.

A rearwardly extending skirt member is supported .upon the front end of the tubular contact member and surrounds this member,

a spring being interposed between the skirt member and an abutment upon the rear end of the shell for urging the tubular contact member forwardly to bring its frontend into engagement with a contact upon the 'plug that is inserted within-the shell. A

handle is provided upon the side of the skirt and preferably projects through an oblique cam slot that is formed through the shell, the ends of said camslot constituting seats, the rear seat serving to hold the conplug from the shell. 4'" When the contact carstationary with respect to the shell.

drawing in which Fig. 1 is a side elevation, partially in section, showing the preferred form of structure of my invention, the front end of the shell receiving the contact carrymg base, of plug form, of an incandescent lamp, a circuit connecting plug being also shown inserted within the lateral opening in the tubular contact member; Fig. 2 is a sectional View taken generally on l1ne 2-2 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a side view, with parts broken away, taken at right angles to "the direction in which Fig. 1 is taken; Fig. 4 is a sectional view on line 4.& of Fig. 1, with parts shown in elevation; and Fig. 5 is a view showing parts in elevation and parts in section, some of these parts beingillustrated in separated relation prior to their assembly.

The shell 1 .is preferably metallic. It is formed at itsfront end with bayonet slots 2 having bayonet seats 3. The plug 4 carries bayonet pins 5 which may be passed through the bayonet'slots into engagement with the bayonet seats. trated happens to be the base of an incan descent lamp 6, one end of the filament 7 of this lamp being connected with the metallic contact button 8 upon the rear end of the base, the other end of the filament being connected with the usual metal sheath which is provided upon the plug. An incandescent lamp provided with'such contact carrying base is commonly termed a single pole lamp. The shell is formed with tongues 9 displaced substantially 90 degrees from the slots 2 and pressing inwardly upon the base of the lamp to hold the same substantially The rear end ofthe shell is formed with an annularabutment or insetting shoulder 10 with which a ring 11 of insulating material isin engagement. A metallic tubular contact rying plug is within the shell, the tilbular' contact member is rearwardly pressed to maintain good contact, the handle being then slightly clear of the forward end of the cam slot.

plained by reference to the accompanying -The invention will be more fully ex member 12 extends from the interior of the shell to its .exterioigthis contact member and the hole of the ring being sustantially coaxial. with the contact carrying plug 4 and the contact 8 thereon. The contact The plug 4: illusmember 12 closely approaches the border of the, hole in the ring 11 whereby the contact member is substantially maintained coaxialwith the ring and plug and guided in its is assembled with the periphery of the ring 13, the elements 13 and 14 thus constituting a skirt member which is carried by the front end of the contact member 12. A coiled spring 15 is interposed between the rings'll and 13, this spring pressing the front end of the contact member .12 against the contact 8 and also pressing the ring 11 against the abutment 10. A coiled spring 16 is contained within the bore of the contact member 12 and presses rearwardly upon the metallic plunger contact 17 whose rear end extends into a plug receiving opening 18 which is formed laterally in the rear end of the contact member 12 that projects rearwardly beyond the shell. 1. A metallic connecting plug 19 is insertable within the opening 16 into engagement with the rear end of the plunger contact 17, said plug having arf annular groove 20 which receives the rear end of the contact 17 to hold the plug and this contact in assembly.

The unit that includes the tubular contact member 12 and the skirted'members 13 and 14 is movable longitudinally of the shell 1 for the purposeof bringing thefront end of the member 12 into and out of engagement with the plug contact 8. I employ a handle 21 for the purpose of effecting the circuit opening and closing movements of the member 12. The inner end of this handle'is received within a socket opening 22 formed laterally through the skirt mmbe. 4. The handle passes through a cam shaped slot 23 which is formed obliquely through the shell 1 whereby the contact member 12 is suitably guided at its front end. 7 When the handle is exactly coaxial with seat 24, it may be withdrawn.

Changes may be maderwithout departing from the invention.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

.1. In a circuit connecter, the combination with a metallic shell formed, at its front end, to receive a contact carrying plug and having an abutment atits other end; of a ring of insulation engaging said abutment; a tubular metallic contact member surrounded by the shell and extending through the rear end thereof and through .the hole in the ring; close to the border of'the hole to be guided thereby, said tubular contact member having a lateral plug receiving opening; a plunger contact within said contact member and which projects from the bore of this member into said plug receiving opening to have its rear end engageable by a plug inserted in said plug receiving opening; a spring within the bore of said contact member and pressing rearwardly upon said plunger contact; a ring of insulation carried upon the front end of said tubular contact; a spring interposed between said rings of insulation and urging the tubular contact member against a contact upon a plug received in the front end of the shell; a skirt secured to the second aforesaid ring and in close proximity to the interior surface of the bore of the shell; and a handle secured to said skirt and projecting through a slot formed through said shell and shaped to locate the handle in a circuit opening position and to permit the handle to have a circuit closing position.

2. In a circuit connecter, the combination with a metallic shell formed, at its front end, to receive a contact carrying plug and having an abutment at-- its other end; of a tubular contact member surrounded by the shell and extending through the rea end thereof, said tubular contact member having a lateral plug receiving opening; a plunger contact within said contact member and which projects from the bore of this member into said plug receiving opening to have its rear end engageable by a plug inserted in said plug receiving opening; a spring within the bore of said contact member and pressing rearwardly upon said plunger contact; a

skirt member carried upon the front end of said tubular contact; a spring interposed between said" skirt member and abutment and urging 'the tubular contact member against a. contact upon a plug recelved 1n being in close proximity to thefshell; and a handle secured to said skirt andprojecting through a slot. formed through said shell and shaped to locate the handle in a circuit opening position and to permit the handle to tact member surrounded by the shell and extending through the rear end thereof, said tubular contact member having a lateral plug receiving opening; a plunger contact within-said contact member and which projects from the bore of this member into said plug receiving opening to have its rear end engageable by a plug inserted in said plug receiving opening; a spring within the bore of said contact member and pressing rearwardly upon said plunger contact; a skirt member secured to the front-end of said tubular contact member; a spring interposed be tween said skirt member and abutment and urging. the tubular contact'member against a contact upon a plug receiyed in the front the front end of theshell, the skirt member end of the shell, the skirt member being in close proximity to the interior surface of the bore of the shell; and a handle secured to 4. In a circuit connecter, the combination with a shell formed, at its front end, to receive a contact carrying plug and having an abutment at its other end; a contact member surrounded by the shell; a skirt member secured to the front end of said contact member; a spring interposed between said skirt member and abutment and urging said contact memer against a contact upon a plug received in the front end of the shell, the skirtmember being in close proximity to the interior surface of the bore of the shell; and a handle secured to said skirt member and pro'ecting through a slot formed through sai shell and shaped to locate the handle in a circuit opening position and permitting the handle to have a circuit closing position.

5. In a circuit connector, the combination with a metallic she-ll formed, at its front end to receive a contact carrying plug and hav ing an abutment at its other end; of a ring of insulation engaging said abutment; a metallic contact member surrounded by the shell and extending through the hole in the ring close to the border of the hole to be guided thereby; a ring of insulation carried upon the front endof said contact member;

a spring interposed between said rings of insulation and urging said contact member against a contact upon a plug received in the front end of the shell; a skirt secured to the second aforesaid ring and in close proximity to the interior surface of the bore of the shell; and a handle secured to said skirt" and projecting through. a slot formed through said shell and shaped to locate the handle in a circuit opening position and to permit the handle to have a circuit closing the shell, the skirt member being in close proximity to the shell; and a handle secured to said skirt and projecting through a slot formed through said shell and shaped to locate the handle in a circuit opening position and to permit the handle to have a circuit closing position.

7. The combination with a shell formed at its front end for the attachment of a contact carrying plug thereto; of a-hollow contact member engageable with a contact upon the plug and projecting through the rear end of the shell, said contact member having a lateral plug receiving opening in its rear end and upon the exterior of the shell; :3. rearwardly spring pressed contact'within said hollow contact member and having its rear end projecting into plugengaging position within said plug recelvlng opening; and means for moving said hollow contact member into and out of circuit closing position.

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name.

HARRY A. DOUGLAS. 

